Friday, December 16, 2016

Trump Voters

A friend of mine is a pediatrician who years ago immigrated to America from India. She is clearly Indian and speaks with a slight, British-influenced accent.
She does some work for the state and found herself returning from some state meetings in Harrisburg on a back road in rural central Pennsylvania. Trump had just won the election and the conference had been alive with talk about it.

She stopped at a gas station and approached the building to buy some snacks. At the door were two tough looking middle-aged men talking, clearly local rural guys. She immediately thought of herself, a lone immigrant woman here in the heart of what was apparently revolutionary Trump country, facing two locals who fit her stereotypical Trump voter. She was suddenly intimidated and anxious.

She smiled and, preoccupied with her concerns, inadvertently spoke them. "I'll bet you are happy with the election," she said, and immediately regretted it.

The two smiled back and one said, softly, "Oh, you might be surprised."

She looked at him quizzically.
He said, again softly and with a shrug, "The rich always win."

She smiled and said, "Yes."

She entered, relieved, bought her snacks and left. They were gone.
It was only when she was in her car that she realized the men had lied to her to make her more comfortable.